COMMUNITY organisations from across West Devon visited Lydford Gorge recently to take part in West Devon CVS' Volunteer Week celebrations.

Visiting organisations included Tavistock Area Support Services, Yelvercare, Oxfam, Children's Hospice South West charity shop, Tidy Tavi, Leonard Cheshire, Tavistock Physically Challenged Group, Okehampton Community Transport, Medical Detection Dogs, the Museum of Dartmoor Life, Rethink, Wren Music, WRVS as well as Lydford Gorge itself.

The volunteers gathered in the sunshine to have a stroll around, some walking the full route around the gorge, others braving a quick look down into the Devil's Cauldron, before making their way back to the marquee to enjoy a delicious tea.

Billie Burnett, West Devon's volunteer services co-ordinator, thanked the staff at the National Trust for their fantastic contribution of free entry plus a discount in the shop and reminded visitors of last year's survey by the National Audit Office which highlighted that more people are involved in volunteering in West Devon than any other area of the country.

Billie said: 'All in all, we have much to celebrate in this jubilee year, and our volunteers are truly West Devon diamond volunteers.'

To find out more about volunteering in West Devon, contact Billie Burnett on 0330 6600357, email [email protected]">[email protected] or call into 13 East Street, Okehampton between 10am and 2pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, or at Tavistock Library between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays and 1pm and 4pm on Fridays.